Just Once
by The Table
Summary: Convincing Roderich to let loose is not an easy feat, but that doesn't mean Bella will stop trying! Human names used and light BelgiumxAustria. Written for The Table by Naviar.


The piano was a wonderful medium. It helped him let out his emotions in a positive way that wouldn't effect anyone. He wasn't like Gilbert, taking out his emotions in a drunken stupor. The piano made wonderful music out of whatever had been bothering him throughout the day. He wasn't like those unrefined idiots drinking away their sorrows. He was better than that. He was Roderich, personification of Austria, and he was going to act like it.

Which is why he most certainly would not be going out to drink.

No matter what Bella said.

"You're German, Roddy! Act it at least once in your life!" she reasoned.

Why she was here, Roderich would never know. All he needed to know was that she had barged into his home uninvited, during his piano time no less.

"Somebody needs to maintain the dignity in this household. I seem to be the only one who can." Roderich replied, not taking his eyes off the keys.

"And you do that very well. However, everyone needs to let loose every once and awhile. Not all people who go to bars are slums, by the way. You wouldn't think it from the stories Gilbert and Ludwig have given you, but it is possible to have a meaningful conversation in a bar." She said it with such dignity and reason, it was hard not to believe her.

Maybe it WAS the way she'd said it. Maybe it was the influence from Roderich's people. Maybe it was just Roderich himself. But something made his fingers stop playing the piano. Something made him let go of his dignity. Just for a moment. Bella was fully aware of this, and took complete opportunity of it.

"I'll be there too Roddy. There's nothing to worry about. We could even leave early if you'd like."

It was just so tempting.

"Only for one drink."

Bella's jaw dropped, and she slowly regained her composure as Roderich stood. A wide grin broke out on her face, and she grabbed his arm, dragging him out the door before he could even reach his coat.

Upon arriving at the bar, Roderich was greatly surprised. While the place didn't exactly say prim and proper, it wasn't the complete dive he had been expecting. Everything was in a varnished maple wood tone, and very clean to be honest. It wasn't too tacky, with very few neon signs and the occasional bar towel. This bar was particularly well lit, too. Perhaps Roderich could enjoy his time here. Not that he'd want to, that is.

Bella turned to him, smirking at the look on his face, and seemed about to say something when she was interrupted by a loud, German accent.

"...RODDY?"

The albino ran for the door in disbelief, stunned at the pianist's appearance in the bar.

Roderich glared at Bella. She could only watch him with an apologetic look on her face as Gilbert moved to attack the Austrian.

Quickly taking up the defensive, Bella blocked the Prussian with a sneaky jab to the ribs. Having distracted him for a few moments, she lead Roderich to the nearest bar stool. Seating him, she went back to the stunned albino.

She whispered in his ear, "Don't worry. Once he's drunk, you can do whatever you want. This is a once in a millennium chance." A grin spread across his face. He saluted the Belgian with a large smirk, promising with all his heart not to interfere with her plan until Roderich was drunk as a skunk.

"What was all that about?" Roderich said, watching in a daze as Gilbert walked to the other side of the bar.

"I just... bribed him to stay out of the way for a while" Bella said, smiling slyly.

"What did yo-"

"No questions! Come on now, order a drink! That barmaid over there's going to think we're just here for the atmosphere! Go on!"

Roderich froze, and looked around. He ducked his head down, as if in shame.

"Oh, no. Don't tell me..." Bella admonished, looking at the Austrian with pity.

Roderich wilted under her gaze.

"You haven't got a clue what to order."

"Could you just get the drinks, Bella? I have to use the washroom" he said, moving to rise up out of the barstool.

"Oh, no no no! You're staying right here while I order the drinks. I can't believe you can't even tell what beer is good beer. Honestly, how can you call yourself German!" she scolded, murmuring under her breath so the Prussian across the room couldn't hear them.

"Yes, yes, I know! Don't scold me!" Roderich whispered.

"Excuse me? We'll have two pints of Becks over here, miss!"

The barmaid turned towards them with a nod, and began pulling the beers from the tap. When both had been properly filled, she set them before the couple with a smile.

"Anything else I can get you?"

"No, we'll collect the bill at the end of the night, thanks." Bella replied politely.

"I said I'd only have the one." Roderich murmured.

"Honey, you don't go to a bar like this to have one drink. No no... We're staying the whole night!" the Belgian replied with a wide smirk on her face.

"You loathsome witch! You knew I'd be trapped here if that... Gilbert was here!"

"Thank me later, sweetheart. It's time you had a proper night out. The beer's not getting any colder, Roddy! Have a sip!"

Reluctantly, the Austrian raised the glass to his lips, and took a large drink. Setting it down heavily, his eyes widened.

"Another one of those, miss."

"Coming right up, sir."

"An' she didn' even say g'bye! She jus' lef' me! I dunno wha' I did, bu' she left!"

The drunken Roderich was on his sixth Becks, with no intention of stopping. Bella had deduced that it was best to just pat his back, and let him spill out his sorrows over Elizaveta's divorce.

"Do you know wha' I did, Bella? I sa' on my damn piano an' didn' say anythin' while she jus' lef'. Jus' left!"

He'd gotten through the crying part. Now, all that was left was a whiny, crying aristocrat with a bad case of asshole disorder. Even Gilbert decided it was best for him to stick to his side of the bar with Ludwig. Roderich was not a fun drunk.

"Come on, let's call it a night." Bella said, looping her arm behind the Austrian's back to help support him.

The Austrian in question quickly drained his seventh beer and allowed himself to be dragged off.

Swiftly paying the barmaid, (with a very large tip to boot), she helped Roderich out of the bar stool and carried him to the street.

Setting him down against the entrance to the bar, she pulled out the phone and began dialing the number for a taxi. She was startled when a pulling on her pant leg brought her gaze down to the tipsy Roderich.

"Ya know wha' Bella?"

Smiling, she replied "What, Roddy?"

"'m glad tha' I did this. I don' wanna say it, but I don' like an empty house. It ain' right."

"It was my pleasure Roderich."

"No! It wasn'! I kno' I'mma bi' of an ass sometimes. An' I know I can' really do a lot 'o stuff. Bu' I wanna be nice now."

Bella sighed. "Let's talk about this when we're of the cold."

"I wanna talk about it now, though! Bella, you 'elped me out a lot by doin' this. Ya don't know 'ow much that means ta me!"

For a split second, Bella realized that her "get Roderich drunk so we can pull all sorts of things on him" plan had gone completely wrong. In the same moment, she realized that Roderich really didn't have anyone to bank off of. All he has is his piano. The night out actually turned out helping him rather than hurting him.

Bella smiled down at him. "Don't worry about it. I had fun too."

Roderich rolled his eyes up to meet hers. "If... If you had fun, Bella... Would you be my friend?"

He heart softened by his ridiculous state of mind, (and of course, the fact that he was laying with his limbs splayed, looking up at her), she couldn't help but grin.

"Of course I'll be your friend, Roddy."

Tears streamed down his face as he murmured, "Thank you, thank you" under his breath. Bella leaned down, and propped him up against her. She patted him on the back and managed calm him down some. Soon, he had fallen asleep.

Gazing at the aristocrat fondly, she rested him on her lap.

"Don't you fret Roddy. I'll make sure that piano doesn't see the light of day."

AN: Well, what do you think? Was meinst du? This is the first of the Table's entries, and hopefully there are many more to come. I wasn't particularly motivated to write this, but I think it turned out alright. It's very good practise to write things you don't know much about. Let me know if you like it! If you thought my writing style was good, check me out at my own account, Naviar.

Hope you enjoyed it,

Naviar.


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